


Dealing With Debster

by peblezQ



Category: Dexter (TV)
Genre: Am I too late to write for this fandom?, Character Study, Deviates From Canon, Dex x Deb, F/M, Family Drama, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Incest, Possibly Unrequited Love, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Unrequited Love, but not really incest at all, debster, dexter au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-04-23 02:02:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14322093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peblezQ/pseuds/peblezQ
Summary: *This fanfiction contains SPOILERS for seasons 1-8 of Dexter!*This is just a straight up re-write/reimagining of the whole Debster side plot. Instead of dropping it like the show did, it’s gonna be addressed. Whether they end up together or not is decided in this fic.(The first chapter is ripped from the show, the rest will be original...for the most part. Basically, it's just slightly deviated from canon because I address things that were skipped by the writers. I hope there are some stragglers to this fandom that'll enjoy this.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, hi, hello! I’m back, baby, and this time around it’s for another fandom I’ve been a part of for much, much, _much_ longer than Supernatural; Dexter.
> 
> I started watching the show back in the summer of 2012 with my family when we got Netflix for the first time on our Wii. We were scrolling through all the B-Movies, and stumbled upon a hidden masterpiece called _Dexter_! We binged the shit outta that show until we caught up with the show on TV with season 7 and 8.
> 
> I just recently finished re-watching the show with my mom because she never actually saw Dexter. Unfortunately, Dexter isn't on Netflix Canada anymore, so we borrowed my sister's fiance’s complete series on DVD in a neat box set that looks like the blood slides, and we watched it all in a month.
> 
> One thing that bothered me about the show was that they introduced the fact that Deb realized she was in love with Dexter, and then the writers just kinda dropped that plot in the traaaaash… Like, they don’t even mention it at all in season 8. The last it’s mentioned is in season 7 where she confesses her feelings to Dexter, and then it just kinda... poof, disappears after that.
> 
> I’m gonna fix that right here, right now. I’m addressing the elephant in the room, unlike the writers. Hopefully, any Dexter fans who ships Debster enjoys this since there’s only like ten fics for them online.
> 
> I’m sick of sitting around with ideas floating in my head, and not being able to find enough Debster fics online to feed my inner dark passenger… My _need_ for some good fics just took over me. Sorry... and enjoy! :D
> 
> P.S. This fic starts at the end of Season 7, Episode 8: “Argentina” where the big reveal happens.
> 
> Also, I will eventually continue _The Purging Supernatural_...hopefully. I just need to work on it when I get inspired again. Sorry, I'm just pissed there's like barely any fics for Debster. Let me get this poison out of my system first. Thank you for your cooperation :D
> 
> ~Pebbs

“Hey, is everyone asleep?”

“Yeah, finally,” Deb says. “Dexter, you did not tell me that bedtime is like this two-hour process, and reading that Dr. Seuss book out loud is really fucking hard.”

“Sorry I missed that.”

“Teenagers are great, you just tell them what to do, and well, my house has never looked so clean. I love families.”

As Deb wanders into the kitchen, I glance up at the mantle with family photos. Right in the center is the same photo that lives on my desk; a younger version of me and Deb, back when things were different and we were new to Miami Metro. Does Hannah fit into my family somewhere? I place the keys on the table as Deb turns around to re-enter the living room. She pauses, her gaze transfixed on the keys for a moment before flicking her gaze up at me.

“What’s that doing here?”

I glance down at my keys, but I quickly realize I've completely forgotten that I borrowed Hannah’s van today. I look up at Deb, keeping my tone and demeanor calm, trying to not seem suspicious. I've been doing this for years, however, now that Deb knows my secret, it’s a lot harder to hide from her.

“Oh, I borrowed a friend’s car today so Isaac wouldn’t recognize me.”

“Does that friend happen to be Hannah McKay?”

I break eye contact with Deb, looking back at the keys and the flower-patterned keychain they’re connected to. I take a slow breath before exhaling the air in an awkward sigh. I nod, letting an odd smirk play on my lips as I begin to explain myself, knowing I can’t get out of this with a lie.

“I was going to-”

“Oh, God…” Deb cuts me off, slowly pacing farther away from me with a long sigh. I keep my head low, but my body turns with her as she walks to the other end of the room, running her hands through her hair in frustration. I glance up enough to notice she has turned towards me again, but her posture is crooked and tense as her thumbs hook into her belt loops. “Are you fucking her?”

I finally meet her stern glare, letting my shoulders lax as I pace a few steps forward to approach her. I stop at the table between us and lean on it, sighing bitterly as I furrow my brows. “Deb, I can explain-”

“I know what fucking is. No explanation necessary,” Deb chuckles humorlessly under her breath. “Is that why you wouldn’t kill her?

“Partially…” I reply in a deadpan tone. Deb lets out an exasperated breath as she looks up and away, smiling and laughing in spite of the situation.

“I am the biggest asshole on the planet,” she shakes her head with a disgusted frown. “All that bullshit about you caring about me too much, trying to stop me from doing something I might regret - I fucking bought it!” Deb storms out of the living room, and out the sliding glass doors with a huffed sigh.

“Deb, everything I said was true,” I explain whilst following her out the back door. I close the door behind me and walk around her, attempting to meet her gaze, but she turns away from me again with her arms folded over her chest. I stop, sighing in defeat. “Okay, yes I didn’t kill Hannah because I have feelings for her, but that doesn’t make what I said to you any less true.”

Deb shakes her head, finally meeting my gaze. “Feelings for her… Are you in love with her?”

I pause. “I don’t know…”

“Is it because she’s a serial killer? Does that turn you on or something?” I look down and off to the side, feeling my shoulders drop as she continues. “So what, do you sit and talk about who you’re gonna take out next?”

I close my eyes for a moment before turning and walking away, exhaling deeply through my mouth as I rest my hands on my hips. “Oh, God...Christ… Did you fucking help her with Price?”

I turn around, looking at her again. I release my arms to my sides, leaning forward with furrowed eyebrows, completely offended. “No!”

“I don’t know why I fucking ask! Dexter, every time I think I know what you are, you tell me something fucking worse.”

“Being with Hannah is worse than being a killer?”

“Yes!” I lean back, shocked. Deb sighs, rolling her head on her shoulders in frustration. “No…” she shakes her head, “I know you’re not gonna stop killing, you made that very clear, but you can stop seeing her.”

“I don’t wanna stop seeing her.”

“Look what happened to her husband, Dexter. She doesn’t have the best track record with men. I don’t even wanna talk about the fucking body trail that you’ve left in your love life.”

“I’m not asking your permission, Deb.”

“So you don’t care what it does to me?”

“I don’t wanna hurt you.”

“Oh, well guess what you did. You picked the one way that you could hurt me worse than you could ever fucking understand.”

“Wha… You told me you accepted me being a killer. I feel if you love me, you’ll accept this-”

“If I love you? If I love you!? I went to the church that night you killed Travis Marshall to tell you I’m in love with you!”

“You… You’re in love with me?”

“Fuck! Oh my god,” she shakes her head and lets out another sob as she collapses into her lounge chair. “Was. I don’t even know if I fucking like you,” Deb laughs humorlessly. “Ohh, forget it…”

“What do you mean you’re in love with me?” I ask while sitting down very slowly.

“I didn’t… I didn’t mean to say that… I… I know that it’s weird, and it’s gross, and it’s fucked up, but… I know you don’t feel the same… I don’t even know if I feel the same anymore… I mean, it’s one thing to be in love with your brother, but it’s a whole new level when you’re in love with your brother who’s a goddamn serial killer…”

I’m… I’m fucking speechless.

“You’re a serial killer, and I’m more fucked up than you are!” 

I decide to stop staring at her, so I lean back in my seat, letting out the breath I didn’t know I was holding in. 

“Are you going to say anything?” Deb begs, her voice still croaked and gasping for air. I look back at her, my face stuck in a scrunched, contorted mess of horror and confusion. I lightly shake my head, letting out another breath I was holding in.

“I...I’m sorry…” I breath out shakily, leaving my mouth open since the shock hasn’t come anywhere near wearing off yet. I swallow hard, trying to compose myself to speak again as Deb buries her face in her hands. “I don’t know what to say…”

Well, at least it’s honest. Not the response either of us wanted, but it’s all I’m capable of at the moment.

“Oh God, you never do,” Deb mumbles in her hands. She drags her fingers down her face to look at me and she just shakes her head. “Can you just go? I can’t… I can’t look at you right now…” she sobs while getting up and entering her house, closing the sliding glass door behind her.

I’m left alone, staring at the door where she was, still feeling… I don’t know what I’m feeling. What I do know is it’s intense, and my heart rate isn’t slowing down. I turn away from her house, leaning on my legs and shoving my face into my hands as I focus on my breathing. It’s shaky and shallow, and my heartbeat is going too fast for my head to handle. I can feel the blood pumping in my temples, throbbing behind my eyes just like my urge to kill. Except this is different. It’s stronger, faster, and less empty. I feel way more alive at this moment than I did when my own work started investigating The Bay Harbour Butcher... Me. Deb is in love with me. Deb… Is in love… With me? How could she possibly even love me, let alone fall in love with me? The Bay Harbour Butcher; the man who failed his wife, the man who failed his children, and worst of all, the man who failed his sister. That very sister who loves me… No, who is in love with me.

But she can’t be in love with me. That’s insane.

“Is it, though? I mean, it makes sense…” Harry’s voice causes me to lift my head up, looking over to where Deb was sitting before. He’s leaning forward like me, his hands clasped together as he stares at the stone patio beneath him in contemplation. “Why she didn’t arrest you, why she keeps believing all your lies, why she’s willing to give up everything she believes in, for you. 

“What am I supposed to do, I can’t feel what Deb wants me to feel.”

“You don’t even know how she wants you to feel. You just left.”

But I didn’t leave... Did I? I look around, realizing that I’m in the driver’s seat of Hannah’s van, tailing Isaac's vehicle. When did I get up from Deb’s lounge chair and enter the van to follow Isaac? I shake my head as I study Isaac's vehicle in front of me, and I sigh through my nose.

“She wanted me to leave!”

“Dexter, calm down.”

“Yeah, well, you know what I do to calm myself down…” I mutter as I watch the vehicle in front of me park in front of a bar.

“Where are you going, Isaac?” I mutter while pulling over a little farther down the street. I shift the gear into park and lean over to explain my plan to Harry. “I’ll give him half a dose so it’ll look like I’m carrying a drunk friend out of the bar.”

“This is dangerous, Dex. It could be a trap. And even if it isn't, it’s too risky with the police nearby.”

“Well I don’t have another choice, now do I?” I reply with a raised eyebrow. I exit the van, taking a quick glance at the empty passenger seat before entering the bar.

I walk in, noticing Isaac immediately. I approach the bar and lean against it, stealing his attention. He glances at me, seemingly indifferent as he mutters, “What a pleasant surprise.”

“We both know you can’t kill me here.”

“I can,” he says, “but I won’t.” He faces the bar again. “It’d be best to keep civil, even in this corner of the world.”

“You call shooting me at a doughnut shot civil?”

“I was short on timing and opportunity - barman, can I have a beer for my friend, Dexter Morgan?”

We exchange a quick glance before I sigh in compliance. I sit down beside him at the bar, grabbing the beer that is handed to me.

“Now we can both relax. Like most places on the planet, everyone’s welcome here.” Isaac says, causing me to casually glance around. I notice two men in a booth rubbing each other’s thumbs while whispering into each other’s ear. I notice another two men pecking each other’s lips in the opposite booth. I glance back at Isaac with furrowed brows.

“You thought your enemies wouldn’t follow you into a gay bar?”

“No. I thought I’d feel comfortable in a gay bar.”

Oh. Oh.

“Ironic, isn’t it? I always feared the Brotherhood would learn my secret and turn against me, but now they've turned against me anyway, and none the wiser about this - incidentally, I’ll have to thank you for slitting that assassin's throat. You might’ve saved my life,” I raise my eyebrows, “but you must explain to me your version of beating a gunman sometime.”

“It's complicated.”

“Can imagine it is.”

“You should cut your losses, Isaac. Go back to Russia.”

“There’s nothing waiting for me back there, except for a large amount of wealth that I may end up losing anyway. The only thing worth living my life there was Victor.”

“You and Victor were -”

“Lovers. More than that. You took from me the one thing money and power can’t bring back. And now thanks to you, most of the luxuries are gone.”

“Not because of me, but because of this vendetta you’re holding against me,” I snip back before taking a quick sip of my beer.

“What did you do to the man who murdered your spouse?”

“Nothing you wouldn’t have done. Nothing I wouldn't do a thousand times over again.”

“Did it help?”

“She’s still dead,” he nods before taking a sip of his martini. “I can tell Victor meant a great deal to you, but he got what he deserved. My wife was innocent.”

“And if she weren’t, you’d feel the same. That’s how love is. It’s a powerful weapon. And ours worked itself against us, it seems.”

“I don’t understand much about love.”

“Well, that’s because you’re a scientist. Love defies reason.”

“Nothing defies reason.”

“Logically, Victor and I shouldn’t have been together. Aside from the social stigma, Victor was an impulsive fool. Always trying to prove something. I suppose the heart knows something that we just don’t know.”

“Maybe the heart is just wrong.”

“Oh, I doubt that. Love can be inconvenient, and perhaps inappropriate, and be dangerous. Makes us do things we wouldn’t dream of doing. Wrong? Well, that just depends on where we end up.”

My mind suddenly falls back on Deb. Isaac was actually helping me forget about her confession until just now. I cast my gaze to my beer, furrowing my eyebrows as I wonder about what it is Isaac is truly saying. If love is all of those things, that would make sense why Debra believes she’s in love with me. Maybe it isn’t insane. Maybe her being in love with me actually...makes sense. Deb is probably the only thing that makes sense in my life.

I shake my head, catching Isaac’s side glance with my own. “We don’t have to do this.”

“I do have to do this,” he insists.

“And then what?”

“Then? I haven’t even thought about it. Maybe take my funds, find a little attractive corner of the world, and wait away my days in comfort and anonymity.”

“Argentina,” I say mechanically. I blink, suddenly thinking about Hannah. I have feelings for Hannah, but they’re nothing compared to what I feel when I’m around Deb. Ever since she confessed her feelings for me, I haven’t been able to get her off my mind, and my need to kill is… tamed. The intensity I feel from just thinking about the moment she confessed to me still... excites me. I examine Isaac as he hums something in agreement to what I said. What was it that I said, again? He puts his glass down and leans on the counter.

“We’re outsiders, you and I. The periphery. Watching everyone else. Pretending we’re just like them, but knowing we’re not. Best we can hope for is find a place where we don’t have to pretend,” he says as I glance down at my beer. “It’s a shame really,” I look up at Isaac, “under different circumstances, I think we could’ve been good friends.” I sit up, but he moves to, halting my movements. He pulls out money and puts it on the counter. “Till next time,” Isaac mutters before getting up and leaving the bar. I turn around to face my beer, lost in thought yet again.

Everyone wants an Argentina, a place to escape and to be yourself. I can’t believe I never even considered before that I already have an Argentina; Debra. She is the one thing on this planet that will truly accept me for me, and love me unconditionally. No country could ever provide something like that for me. I don’t know if Deb can put up with me anymore. She seems to be on the brink, ready to snap and ditch me from her life which is what we both deserve.

Debra deserves a good man, and I deserve nothing but Hell.

So why would she love me of all people? I suppose there’s only one way to find out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it's been a while, but I'm back with more! I wrote this a month ago but didn't post it right away because I felt the story was progressing too fast. Then I remembered the whole point of this story is that it's supposed to be a few chapters that add an extra dynamic to Dexter and Deb that cannot possibly be ignored later on.
> 
> This is where I start steering away from the show. I felt I needed to start with the end of that episode since it’s where Dexter finds out about Deb’s feelings, and I honestly couldn’t have written the confession better myself. So, from this point on, it will deviate from canon and focus on exploring Dexter’s curiosity about Deb’s feelings for him.
> 
> You introduce the elephant, you address the motherfucker.
> 
> Thank you, all! And Enjoy!
> 
> ~Pebbs

Earlier today I was going to spend the night with Hannah after bringing her van back to her. Instead, I took her van and drove straight back to Deb’s house.

I practically threw myself out of the van, and took quick, long strides up Deb’s front porch and pounded on her door. I continuously hit the door until the lights came on and Debra opened the door with disgruntled features. The scents of weed and alcohol float from her presence, and she furrows her brows even further when it sinks in her brain that I'm the one at her door.

“Fuck, Dexter. You're gonna wake your kids,” Debra grumbles as she closes the door halfway. “Why are you rapping my door at one in the morning?”

I stare at her with knitted brows, wondering if she's drinking away all her memories of her confession from earlier tonight. I keep my hands hanging by my sides as I stare into her eyes and simply respond, saying, “you're the only person who is truly there for me.”

Deb blinks lazily before rolling her eyes. “Not now, Dex. Not this,” she groans as she begins closing her door.

I slam my hand on it, pushing the door into her house and catching Deb off guard. I push my way into her house, and she backs up quickly with wide eyes.

“D-Dex?” Deb stutters as she backs into the wall behind her. I pin her there with my arms beside her face, and I lean in close.

“You don't get to confess something like that and think I won't discuss it.”

“Fuck,” Deb slurs under her breath. She squirms when our eyes lock in place, and I nearly growled at her.

“How could you possibly fall in love with,” I sigh, backing up, “ _me?_ ”

Deb raises an eyebrow and tilts her head at me like a puppy. I frown.

“You know who I am, and yet, you accept it. You were the last person I thought would accept me, but you did. _Now_ you tell me you've fallen in love with me, and -”

“No, the night you killed Travis Marshall - that was when I was in love with you.”

“No more bullshit, Debra,” I pin her between my arms again and lean in closer. “We promised to be honest with each other. I like Hannah, but I don't love her. I loved Rita, but she never knew who I was. You,” I pause, “you know who I truly am, and yet you still love me. Why?”

“Don't push me, Dex. You're on thin fucking ice, here-”

“Answer the damn question,” I nearly yell at her, feeling my anger boil even further.

“I’m not in love with you anymore-”

“You're lying,” I whisper, pulling my face to her ear. I notice goosebumps prickle her skin, and I hear her breath catch at my close proximity. “You wouldn't react this way right now if you weren't still in love with me.”

“Why do you fucking care anyway? Did you come here to provoke me?” Deb whispers.

“No,” I back up to meet her eyes again, “I just want to know why,” I sigh. “Why me, Deb?”

Deb stares at me for a while, searching my eyes for some answer. She sighs and breaks our gaze. “I don't know, Dex.”

I let out one last sigh before backing away entirely. I rub my forehead before backing away to the door. “I'm sorry. I'll let myself out,” I mutter while opening the door.

When I open it, I look back at Deb one last time, silently begging for more. I don't know what else I want exactly, but I know its not this. I turn around to leave her house, but then I hear her hurry over, and she shuts the door on me before I can walk out. I turn around and raise an eyebrow at her. She pins are to the door, grabs my collar, and pulls me closer to her. My eyes widen a little as she plants her lips on mine and kisses me with so much passion that it takes my breath away.

My eyelids flutter shut, but the kiss is done before my eyes can entirely close. It was quick but left a lasting point. My eyelids feel heavy as they reopen, and I search her eyes for more.

Deb suddenly looks small and vulnerable, and for the first time, I feel small and vulnerable as well. I can't take this feeling that's overpowering me. It's like a tidal wave, rushing through my veins and taking over me like my dark passenger.

I grab Deb’s shoulders, and I pull her close, kissing her back. I'm lost and confused, but I _feel_ it. My heart, rapidly beating in my chest. It's strong, and I haven't felt this way since my victims were found in the ocean.

_I feel alive._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it's short. This was never meant to be a long book, and I plan to keep it brief.
> 
> The rest will come sooner than this one did, I promise!

**Author's Note:**

> There shall be more soon-ish. I'm just super busy right now. I will write more because I kinda need to, lmao.
> 
> Also, this was only read through once before posting, so I'm incredibly sorry for any errors or lazy writing here and there.
> 
> I hope y'all liked it anyways :D


End file.
